Tangled

Unshift 216

Unshift 216

216 Ava: Going to Sister Miriam Again (II)

216 Ava: Going to Sister Miriam Again (II)

"What do you mean, consume her?" Jericho demands, his eyes

narrowed.

Sister Miriam sighs, flicking ash from the end of her cigarette. "Magic is a living thing, wolf. It has a will of its own. And right now, Ava's magic is wild, untamed. If she doesn't le to control it, it

will control her."

When they still stand there, waiting for more, she rolls her eyes, making even that seem almost elegant, even if the rest of her face is too blank to make it seem natural. "Your girl will go boom, wolf. And everything around her will pay the price."

"What's the difference between now and before?"

Sister Miriam's brows draw together slowly, just a little out of sync. Sometimes, she acts so naturally. Other times, it's like she can't

control her entire face. This is one of those times, and the wrongness of it causes shudders of repulsion. "Before?"

It's a struggle to find the correct wording. "When I first got my powers. I went into heat. It was painful."

"Ah." Her brow smooths out almost instantly, and it's fascinating. Like there was something beneath her skin, and it just dashed out, leaving it flat and expressionless. "Yes. It was more of a half-awakening." She holds out her hand, tight as a fist.

"Once, you were empty. Then, small cracks appeared, allowing the power to flow within." She opens her fist a little, spreading her fingers, as though holding onto an invisible ball. "This is the state

15:59

175

power coursing through you. Some of you will tap into this power in times of immense stress." Memories of running through the forest, almost as fast as Lucas in his wolf form, flash through my mind. Sister Miriam nods, seeing whatever expression on my face tips her

But you cannot feel it, no matter how

made a connection with the power inside you. It's a contract, of sorts. Can you feel it? A

is a mere whisper; hearing

before bringing it back to her side. "You have no control over that power. Even now, you can only access a flicker of your potential. And that is

of this?" Jericho demands, grabbing my arm and yanking me behind him. Kellan closes the ranks so I can barely see over their shoulders. "You're doing a lot of talking but

Miriam sneers at the old shifter, and for the

violent intent coming from her direction. "Your land. That is what you are taught, isn't it? That your wolf territory is sacred. That any who come within are trespassers on

15:58

2/5

Going to Sister Miriam Again

been approved by the Council and by the highest level of human government. Until such a time as a new leader has been established for the Blackwood Pack, Alpha Lucas Westwood

yes," she mocks. "Your petty

and I grab onto his elbow, squeezing hard in a reminder for

answers from Sister

men. They don't let me at first, but Jericho eventually

my dear." She's once again calm toward me, with no hint of

it because I'm more

someone named Steve. She disappeared. Everything about her disappeared. The building she was in

eyes narrowing. "You worked with the Fae? Child, what were you thinking? You don't know enough about this world

mentor."

Kellan interjects with a frown. "We haven't even told you anything about her

a Fae's bread and butter, wolf."